1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a machine and a process for performing an operation on each of a series of objects, and is particularly directed to a container filling machine and process. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus and process in which operating means such as filling spouts, are arranged to pass serially over and along a path, and objects, such as containers, are admitted to and moved along said path in unison with the operating means operated on by said operating means during the traverse along said path, and exited therefrom.
2. Prior Art
Liquid filled containers have traditionally been handled and filled on rotary filling machines in which the containers to be filled file serially onto and along a circular track of a suitable carousel having filling spouts adapted for insertion into the mouths of the containers as they come to the proper place on the track. In one such device, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,414, the containers are fed to a star wheel which feeds them onto a circular carousel in synchronization with spouts where they are advanced to a second star wheel which exists them. The containers are fed to the first star wheel by means of a screw. A similar construction is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,702 where containers are fed by a screw or worm to a star wheel which meters them onto the carousel. In one patent, the containers are elevated to the filling spouts whereas, in the other, the filling spouts are lowered onto the containers. The screw in one of the patents has a uniform pitch, whereas that in the other increases from the inlet end to the outlet end, but in the width of the groove is constant. In both, however, the worm or screw is utilized to advance the containers to the star wheel which effects metering of the containers in synchronization with the filling spouts.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,123, the track is made up of a continuous flexible belt and the containers are fed onto the belt by a star wheel operating in synchronism with the spouts. As in U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,414, the spouts are lowered into the containers.
Devices of the type described have the disadvantage that they are limited in the speed at which they can be operated because no satisfactory control of containers is maintained during the insertion of the filling spout thereinto. When the devices are speeded up, centrifugal force can easily cause the mouth of the container to rock or spin out of alignment with the filling spout. It has been proposed heretofore to provide guide rails for this purpose, but this is not always a satisfactory solution to the problem, particularly where bottles of irregular shape are to be filled. Similarly, the exiting of filled containers presents a similar problem, especially where a flat, continuous belt is employed, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,123 because, when the filled containers move along the curved portion of the belt after the spouts are removed, problems sometimes arise, especially in wide-mouth containers, due to sloshing of the liquid therein.